


A time to rest

by SarazelSwift



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Fluff, M/M, Police, Police AU, SHEITH - Freeform, allurance, hidge, team punk
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-11
Updated: 2018-10-11
Packaged: 2019-07-29 17:22:30
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,253
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16268870
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SarazelSwift/pseuds/SarazelSwift
Summary: In this part of the Cold Cases collection, we find an intimate moment between Hunk and his mystery guest moments before Lance McClain knocks on his door. From there they attempt to create a working story for the cold case Lance has stumbled upon.





	A time to rest

**Author's Note:**

> This one-shot (the third so far in the collection) is mainly fluff with some rounding out of the over arcing plot.
> 
> I fell into a few pictures and am endeared by team punk.
> 
> As always my technical writing isn't the strongest, if you have questions don't be afraid to ask. Enjoy!

            The night was quiet. Soft breezes coming in through the open window occasionally chilled his bare shoulder. He could smell the dewy grass and the oncoming fall, but above all else, Hunk could smell her shampoo. It was citrusy, reminding him of warm summer days. Hunk instinctively pulled his arm tighter around her, jostling the woman. He was lucky.

            Katie Holt could have any man of her choosing. She could have any job of her choosing. The world had always been her oyster, but it was here she lied. With him. He smiled slightly before nuzzling his head against hers. A knock sounded at his front door. He furrowed his brow, praying they’d go away. The knock sounded again, stirring Katie. “D’you hear that?” She grumbled, raising up on the pillow.

            “Oh, yeah.” He said, sitting up. He pushed the covers back and pulled his sweatpants on. “I’ll check.” He mumbled, padding to the bedroom door. He was thankful to have picked up his room before Katie came over, otherwise he would have stubbed his toe and looked a fool. Hunk snatched up a discarded t-shirt from the ground before the door and moved into the hall. He could hear Katie behind him moving to the bathroom.

            Hunk moved the small copper peephole cover and found Lance McClain on the other side of the door. He cursed quietly. As silently as he could he tip-toed back to the hallway. “Pidge! It’s Lance!” He hissed into the darkness toward the bathroom. He padded back to the door now and unlocked it. “Lance?” He asked, feigning a yawn. He squinted from the light that poured in through the crack in the door.

“Hey, you busy?” He asked, rubbing the back of his neck. Hunk furrowed his brow and studied him. Lance held a manila file folder close to his side. The grip was white knuckle. “Uh, yeah a bit.” He admitted, hoping to dissuade Lance from entering.

            He loved having Lance as a friend, and if things had been different in the way he and Katie met Hunk wouldn’t have to hide it. It was selfish of him to want Lance to leave, but he couldn’t turn him away. Not when whatever case file he held was eating him up so badly. Hunk watched as Lance ran a hand through his hair and sighed. “I wanted to have you look over a file for me. There’s something I’m missing.”

“Now?”

            He could see the desperation in Lance’s eyes. He let go of the door knob and put his toe out to hold the door as he accepted the file. “Hunk, you alone tonight?” His heart began to race at the question, yet he knew better than to overreact. Not only was Lance his best friend he was a detective, and a damn good one. Playing aloof was his best option. “What- oh, yeah.”

“Could you come out here?”

“Why?”

“Just do it.” Lance hissed, grabbing at him and pulling him into the bright hallway. Before Hunk could offer protest, Lance was already moving into the apartment. His hand freeing his sidearm. He pushed himself up against the bedroom wall. “What the heck man. Put that away!” Hunk could only think of Katie, gunned down in his bedroom by a worn down cop. “What’s wrong with you?”

“Someone moved into your bedroom while you were distracted with me.” Lance said, looking back at him. Hunk felt the blood leave his face. Lance really was going to shoot Katie.

            Hunk swallowed nervously and shook his head. “Whoa, Lance. Hold on.” He shoved the file folder back into Lance’s chest. He moved between the bedroom door and his friend, all too aware of the gun between them. Lance lowered it, “Hunk!” He sighed and turned his head, calling into the bedroom. Katie was as quiet as a mouse but he knew she was there. “You should probably come out now.” He couldn’t look at Lance.

            The light in the bedroom flicked on and Katie moved around the threshold. She adjusted her glasses as her gaze settled on Lance’s sidearm. She didn’t react as he thought she would have. Katie was a strong woman. She had been through so much, she had experienced even more. Working as a dispatcher was hard on her. He knew it was even if she never let on. “Detective McClain.” She said quietly, appraising him.

“Pidge?” Lance’s voice went up an octave, surprise clearly taking him. “What are you doing here? I almost shot you.” He said, holstering his weapon.

            She looked up at Hunk and took his hand. Despite her calm and cool demeanor her grip on his hand was too tight. She was legitimately scared. The feeling gnawed at him. Hunk gave her a reassuring squeeze and looked back to Lance. “Pidge and I have been dating for nearly two years now.”

            At first Lance didn’t speak. He could only stare at them.  “Hunk. Garrett… You dog!” A smile pulled at Lance’s lips. Katie took a step toward him and punched his shoulder. Hunk pulled her back with a sigh. “That’s exactly why I was hiding.” Katie said. The irritation was clear in her voice.

“Lance, please don’t say anything.” Hunk moved to the door and closed it quickly, flicking the lights on. He winced briefly. Lance shook his head, whining his response. “Why is it so important? I’m just proud you’re not alone buddy!”

            Katie and Hunk exchanged uneasy glances. Lance continued, “I mean. You two don’t work together. It’s not fraternizing.”  
“Pidge is my… patient. So, it is. Fraternizing.”

                                        

            Lance handed him the folder once more, settling into his reclining chair. He listened to Katie’s rummaging in his kitchen. She had offered to make them all something warm to drink. Her movements punctuated the already awkward silence between them. Hunk sighed and finally flipped open the folder. “So you and Katie Holt, huh?” Lance asked quietly. He leaned back in the chair, pretending to be sneaky about looking into the kitchen. “Lance,” Hunk whined. “Please don’t say anything. I could lose my license, my practice. My credibility!” He shook his head, “And Pidge…”

            As if on cue she appeared from around the wall separating the kitchen and the living room. She set down a steaming cup of water before him and handed Lance another cup, coffee by the smell of it. She turned back to head into the kitchen and leaned back down over the couch. Her chin almost nuzzled against his neck. Her nearness gave him butterflies. “Chamomile?”  
“Please,” Katie nodded and disappeared. Hunk watched as Lance’s eyes followed after her. “Is she wearing any pants under there?” He snapped the file shut. Lance raised his hands innocently.  “Sorry. Just thinking out loud. It’s been a long day.”

“Why am I even looking this over? Aren’t there people in the precinct that can do this?”

“No one is interested in looking at cold cases. No one believes me.” He began, but before Hunk could offer a rebuttal he continued. “There’s a pattern. I’m missing it. I need a fresh pair of eyes on it.”

            He opened the file again. He stared at the files inside, reading as quickly as he could. Drowning by vehicles. It was admittedly odd; he noted the first few in the string of dates were consistent with accidental drowning. “Pidge,” Lance asked as she approached from the kitchen once more. He glanced up as she dropped a tea bag into his cup. She hummed an answer. “How did you meet Hunk?’

“He’s the go-to shrink for the department. And after my dad and Matt…” Katie paused, only slightly, still unsure if she wanted to speak of it. Hunk knew she was restraining her response. It was hard on her, when her father and brother went missing. At first that’s all it was, but then after a dead body and a ransom note, it got even harder. She was relieved to have them both back, that much was expected. But what she didn’t realize was the anxiety that afflicted her came from the realization that she was never as safe as she thought. He saw this a lot in victims of burglaries. “After the ordeal with my father, I was assigned counseling.”

“And you just… fell in love?”      

            Hunk found himself to have stopped reading, hanging on their words. The reason Katie was with him was still a mystery to him. He just counted himself lucky. Who could love someone like him? Katie had yet to answer. He peered up over the folder, finding Katie’s pale, freckled face to have flushed furiously pink. Lance spoke up again in an attempt to shift focus off of her. “I mean what’s not to love? He gives one hundred and ten percent in everything he does. He genuinely _cares_ about his patients. I mean, I can’t even count the number of times I’ve come home to find a home cooked meal in my fridge.” Lance spouted, standing up for him. “That’s because you forget to eat.” There was a small grin, tugging at Katie’s lips. She nodded, sipping her tea. “Ok. What about you?”

“That’s old news.”

“By old news, you’re referring to what happened after the negotiations broke down on that,” She snapped her fingers, trying to recall the name. “Salmo case.”

            His eyes shot to Lance, watching the lean detective go rigid. Katie’s voice softened. “You took that guy down before he could kill anyone else. What you saw… it had to be traumatic.” Lance was nodding absently, his eyes already glazed over. He shook his head, physically trying to rid himself of the visions. Hunk had witnessed this too many times before. “It’s not something you can unsee.” His voice was haunted. Suddenly Hunk doubted how much progress they had really made. “Lance, I didn’t mean to-“ She said softly.

            Lance smiled and looked up to her. “If not for Salmo, I’d never have gotten my nickname.” She rolled her eyes and took a long drink of tea. Hunk watched Lance swallow his own coffee nervously. He looked over, meeting Hunk’s gaze. Lance drew his lips into a thin line. “What’d you think?” Hunk shrugged.

“Well the first few look like regular drownings.” Lance’s shoulders sank, he was clearly expecting more. Katie set her coffee down and made a grabbing motion with her hand. He handed her the file.

            She scanned the documents. “Not just regular drownings. These happen every three months. But the locations are all over. These, in Lake Carris. These, off the cliffs into the ocean. There’s even a couple here for the ravine off Highway four.” Hunk eyed Lance as she read through Lance’s notes. He had his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands.  “That’s odd.” Katie breathed. His head popped up, “What’s odd.” Hunk looked over the file next to her.

            She was pointing at a chart. Coroner’s report by the diagrams. “Well the reports for Lake Carris look like typical accidental drownings. But these, in the ocean. These had tape residue on their wrists and mouth.”

“No tape was found when I read through the reports.” Lance said, his voice still hopeful. She nodded and continued reading. “Not only did they have tape residue like the ocean victims, but there were traces of diazepam in their system.”

“Tranquilizer. I had to ask a doctor about that one.” Lance said. Katie shrugged and gave the folder back to Hunk. She gathered up her coffee cup in both hands and looked over to Lance. “Despite the odd traits in the newer cases, your dates nearly hold up. That could be the pattern.”

“I know. Every three months.”

            Katie pushed the glasses up on her nose. “Well, not _every_ three months.” Lance straightened. “You’re missing one.” She pointed at the dates on the front of the folder in Hunk’s hands. Hunk looked to the end of her fingertip. She was right. “Yeah, right here. One missing from about a year ago.” Lance snatched the file away and shook his head. “Can’t be.”

            Hunk cleared his throat, mulling over the information. Why the progression? If this was a murderer, why move to restraining the victims? Lake Carris was fairly secluded. _Less need for privacy?_ He thought. Then the ocean drownings? The cliffs were a tourist favorite, but hardly at night time. There was some afforded privacy there, but restraints made sense. He scrunched up his face. The ravine off of Highway four was a less traveled road with the interstate being open only a mile away. Restraints would be enough. Tranquilizers though? “Keith’s accident was a year ago.” Lance admitted, almost inaudibly.

“That’s what started the tranquilizers.” Katie said, a little too excitedly. “He survived.”

“That’s _if_ he was a victim.” Hunk said, patting her knee.

            Lance shot up. “I have to go.” Hunk shook his head but set his cup down. “Go where?” He stood, following Lance to the door. “Shiro’s. If Keith was a victim, then he knows something about this guy. This is what will pull the whole thing together.”

“But it’ three in the morning.”

“Yeah, let them sleep. This can wait until morning.” Katie said, stepping up beside them.

“Keith could be in danger.” Lance said, turning around to face them.

“Then why hasn’t there been an attempt on his life? We don’t even know if Keith was a part of this. Not for sure.” She said.

“Go home Lance. Get some sleep.” Hunk pressed.

**Author's Note:**

> See?  
> If you couldn't tell, I've been watching A LOT of Criminal Minds lately. I feel my technical writing is getting better, but please if there are any questions, comments, critiques, let me know.
> 
> Fun fact. The voice actor of Hunk (Tyler Labine) plays a character named Dale in "Tucker and Dale VS Evil". In this movie he's offered chamomile tea, which he obliges. Chamomile also comes around near the end of the film.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed, don't be afraid to leave a kudos or comment, or comment a kudos!


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